Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer in Talks for Netflix’s ‘Thunder Force’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Octavia Spencer and are in negotiations to star as women who obtain superpowers in Netflix’s “Thunder Force.”

The film will be written and directed by McCarthy’s husband Ben Falcone. “Thunder Force” will be produced by Marc Platt, Falcone and McCarthy. Plot details are under wraps.

Spencer was an executive producer on best picture winner “Green Book” and has been Oscar-nominated for “The Shape of Water” and “Hidden Figures” after winning for “The Help.” McCarthy has Oscar nominations for “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “Bridesmaids.”

Warner Bros. will release McCarthy’s action-comedy “Superintelligence” on Dec. 20. McCarthy stars in the New Line film directed by Falcone. The movie was set up with McCarthy and Falcone as producers through their On the Day production company.

The couple has already teamed up on a trio of comedies with “Tammy” (2014), “The Boss” (2016), and 2018’s “Life of the Party,” based on Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School.”

In “Superintelligence,” McCarthy will play a former corporate executive whose life is turned upside down when she is selected for observation by the world’s first super-intelligence — an artificial intelligence that may or may not take over the world.

She’s also one of the stars of New Line’s mob drama “The Kitchen,” alongside Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss, based on the DC/Vertigo comic book series. “The Kitchen” is due to open on Aug. 9.

Spencer is repped by WME and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. McCarthy and Falcone are repped by CAA and MGMT. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.